Marionette: A Plea for Requiem
by Aiko Isari
Summary: (Xros Wars AU) Hinomoto Akari has little desire to protect the Digital World, but… she does wish to find her best friend. If that means collecting Code Crowns, then she will. She can handle the dragon, the samurai, and the fox but can she handle the game they play? It is the deepest question of all and the answer may be the key to the world. Book 1 of 4
1. Chapter 1: Intro: My World

Sweet gosh that was a mild pain in my butt. Worth it though, definitely. Okay, so the deal is FFN screwed up the formatting of the story and the site I'm making has a character limit that this chapter broke not even halfway through. Yes, this chapter is long. To put it into perspective, it was fifteen pages on Word and twelve in its initial first draft on paper. I had a blast.

Now... *clears throat* Onto the formalities.

My name is Aiko Isari. For those of you who have read some of my other works, hello there and welcome back. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do writing it. For all of you newcomers to my world, I would recommend strapping on a seatbelt because this will most certainly be a bumpy foray into my writing style. If it gets to be too much, I welcome you to read my other stories for a while. The whiplash will pass I promise you.

Regardless of who you are, I welcome you formally to _Marionette_, a quartet telling the story of Kudo Taiki, of Xros Heart and the future of their world. The story you knew is likely true. However, it could also quite possibly be a lie, a comforting way to pass on the messages the world wanted you to see. I am not going to say if it is false or reality. I am simply going to present you with an alternate idea of what may have been. Whether you believe the story I tell you now or not is your decision. I hope you can read on. I hope you can enjoy yourselves and tell me your thoughts. I hope you can inform me of how my storytelling is.

This story is currently unedited and the edit will be placed up soon after I receive it. Thank you IronicNarwhal and Acid.

This series is rated M, rated this way for violent themes, cursing, hints of citrus, _Umineko _and _Higurashi _references, and death, among other adult themes. You have been warned. I also warn of alternate character interpretation and possible OOC.

_Marionette _is a story set. However, there is more to it than that. In order to possibly gain a richer experience, please go to my website (which is on my profile) and click the link for Marionette. There is a playlist section there. I would recommend using Youtube to locate these songs. I will also be listing the playlist here. Again this is only an option but it will certainly... bring more to light, particularly with the way this story is written. There are also other tidbits of information that give more information about the world. It is being updated frequently so please go there if something happens to the story on here. Also, if you want to ask questions or see previews, please check the tumblr, of which there will also be a link on my profile.

This story does not follow an entirely linear path of time as the episodes did. I believe I should warn you

One last important thing pertaining to this: The key. Ascension names are typically placed in _**this** _format while Taiki's particular Ascension appears _"-like so-". _On every other site, Taiki's Ascension will appear with music notes instead. I believe it was important to mention such.

Now I have dawdled long enough. Please sit back and keep an open mind. I welcome you to Marionette: A Plea For Requiem.

_**Playlist:**_

A Plea for Requiem Opening: Hikari no Sora no Qualia (The Qualia of the Shining Sky) by Cyua (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kizuna Rasen)

Omoide no Summer (Summer Memory) by Arisawa Takinori (Digimon Adventure 02 Senpen: Hurricane Touchdown)

Kunou (Distress) by Yamashita Kosuke (Digimon Xros Wars: The Boy Hunters Who Leapt Through Time)

Kibou wo Mune Ni (With a Heart Full of Hope) by Unknown (Digimon Xros Wars)

Boku wo Boku Datte (Because I'm Me) by Wada Kouji (Digimon Adventure 02)

Taiki no Theme (Taiki's Theme) by Yamashia Kosuke (Digimon Xros Wars)

Streets to the Summer by Miyahara Nami (Digimon Adventure 02 Drama CD: Natsu e no Tobira)

Shuurai (Invasion) by Unknown (Digimon Xros Wars)

Kusen (A Hard Fight) by Unknown (Digimon Xros Wars)

Untitled by Takanashi Yatsuharu (Shiki)

Red Moon by Kalafina (Red Moon Studio Album)

A Plea for Requiem Ending Theme: Let it Out by Fukuhara Miho (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)

* * *

Chapter 1: Intro ~My World~

"_The phenomenon known formally as Ascension Break is inexplicable and reoccurring, a present 'disease' whose symptoms appear as early as postnatal in the child and as late as pre-pubescence. The symptoms vary from life to life and seem to have no correlation from one person to the other, even within generations and family relations. Symptoms show an inclination toward affecting the human personae and physical construct, yet no sign can be located in brain patterns. It is, simply stated, a fascinating topic for the human race to linger over even in this current technological age."_

_-Professor Sebastian Leosk, Scientific Inquirer, January 19__th__, 2014_

Routine was always a mockery in summertime.

She knew this. Hinomoto Akari knew this with the same part of her brain that ticked the balmy days off her mental calendar. Hence why she was lying on her bed in a silent, sticky sweat and watching her fan blades' shadow against the seven-in-the-morning sunrise. Her eyes observed their whipping movements with the barest of attention, without a blink or active twitch of the semi-visible eyelids. Her left arm, in the oddest position brought about by sleep in a long while, twitched. Akari let those fingers twist languidly around a stray strand of red hair near her, sweat sliding from her flesh and drying in the overly-warm air. She breathed a long, loose sigh, smiling droopily in the early morning haze that trapped even the most diligent into procrastination and apathy.

_I should get up, _thought the prepubescent girl, willing her limbs to twitch into activity. Today was meant to be busy she knew. There were plans for today, fun and excellent plans that after everything were said and done, would be worth the work. Trying to even recall the basics of these, let alone her part in them, in this baking warmth, was dangerous and next to impossible. Each glimmer of an idea sprinkled away like a leaf floating on pond water. The more Akari tried, the tighter her sheets stuck to her skin with sweat, the heat mocking. Unbidden, her consciousness began to dim, almost to the time of evening club lights.

Her eyes shot open fully at the feeling of something rumbling under her spine. The sensation was followed by an excited, high-pitched screech. The sound was distinctly male and giggly, followed by a deeper sound of reproach. Akari groaned miserably, forcing herself to roll onto her right side with a sound similar to ripping off plastic wrap. The pain only registered vaguely, insignificant in comparison to the cracks and pops of bones righting themselves. _Damn it Mori… _"Stupid **Noise**… stupid _talents _more like…" _Too early for this crap one of my many little brothers… _This was her penance for being born to a family the size of a small apartment. Her head pounded with the grace of God as sunlight burned her eye sockets.

She _really _hated _talents_.

_Ascensions, _her mind corrected without deliberation in her mother's voice. It scratched at the topic, a subconscious AutoCorrect for the brain with a chime that she _did not_ desire full understanding of. The name disregarded, it was for the same thing as it was. It was a difference from human to human, an expansion of _something_ in their abilities, be it magnetism or sensitive hearing or even murder. There was yet to be one for eternal life but Akari suspected divine intervention on that matter. Short and sweet, they were abilities that ranged from awesome to pointless. This was how the public saw no matter what way you swayed it. Rankings, numbers, a burst of statistics, this was all it appeared to be. For their sake, Akari was happy to leave them in the dark, figuratively or otherwise. Awareness never ended well.

_-Someone is troubled today.-_

The words swayed in her mind without warning, sweet like a bird singing. The redhead jumped and spun, nearly rolling into her bedroom wall with the shock. Her head thankfully missed the wall, leaving her to sigh painfully. "Thanks for that. I really _did_ need the heart attack as an alarm clock." Slowly, the young woman rose up to sit haphazardly on filthy covers. There went her once-in-a-lifetime chance of sleeping in. Looking down at her summer-slick body in her nightgown, she wrinkled her nose and yawned. _Sweet god, help me…_ A ghostly chuckle twirled its way through her head and she rolled her eyes dismissively. "I feel gross. Go away."

_-Seek and you shall find, even if it's the wrong answer.- _The reply was utterly cheerful and slightly distracted. She could almost smell his toast, or whatever today's concoction from his mother was. The redhead scowled at thin air as the words registered. He _would _say that; only he had the courage to joke about it. Rolling her eyes, Akari yanked at casual clothing and went to go bang on the bathroom door. It was not the nicest of gestures but living in a male-dominated house tended to corrupt your idea of nice.

"I did _not _call you," she grumbled irritably, or at least _half_-irritably. Akari smiled as she did so, chortling over the kitten humming that made her forgive him for his casual romp past mental shielding and impossibly friendly wake-up hours. Slamming the door open, she nearly tripped over a small ball of dark-blue fur lying on the bath mat. "Yuri, march." The pup yawned sleepily and tottered off, shaking cold bathwater onto her bare legs. She hissed. "Go dry off before Mom takes the brush to you." Her little brother skittered away, shifting before her eyes into a naked half-human child. "And GET DRESSED!" She slammed the door behind her, snickering impatiently at the screech of skin on wood.

Underneath this controlled chaos, the reply reached her. It was playful yet petulant in a sweet sort of way, the closest to genuine apology as he would go. -…_You always have all the answers. You always are able to find them.- _Akari snorted gently, running her fingers down bristled red locks in a desperate attempt to drench them out of the bedhead and summer heat. She glared at her reflection through her bangs, trying to out-do the amber-honey scowl from the puddle before her.

_**Seeker. **_He always had to joke about it. He always had to remind her of what she was, of what her damned _Ascension _was. In a nutshell was that accursed thing; or it was her to be more precise. She wondered what blindness would be like instead. She supposed it would be like him being deaf: unimaginable. She kind of thought it would be infinitely more preferable and about five times less complicated.

Akari sighed, spitting out soapy water by reflex and distorting her reflection. They needed new shampoo. It was _coconut_. Who in their right mind liked that? "I only happen to have all the answers I don't want," she corrected lightly, wiping her eyes.

_-That's why you don't know its seven-thirty right?-_

She was silent for a few moments, letting this information sink in. Then, her twelve-year-old eyes darkened and Akari cursed, trying to cut off the gentle laughter that followed this. "_Shit."_ He laughed again and she growled at the air. "You did this on purpose."

_-I did not_.- His reply was full of affront, yet she could see mirth twinkling in his eyes.

"Bullroar you manipulative little _ass_!" She shouted this and winced, in part from her curse and also from the echo of her own voice on tile walls. Lowering her voice, she continued. "You have a _game _today!"

_-Two actually.-_

She puffed out her cheeks and controlled a very harsh scream. _"Tell _me these things!" Groaning with dismay, Akari went to finish her shower.

This was routine, a plan she knew almost as well as her parent's names. He would run around freely until he passed out while she would raise him up to do it all over again. They were light and shadow. He was calm where she was passionate, kind where she was honest. He was a dreamer, but she had given up on dreams long before. The opposition brought them closer. However it also led to funny incidents… like today.

She wouldn't trade it for any riches anyone gave.

* * *

There was a frantic pounding above her head, causing the woman to sigh and smile, turning the page of her magazine. A child's face swam up on the page and Hinomoto Akane tutted miserably. "'_Aonuma heir disappearance…' _Don't reporters have better topics than torturing this poor family… honestly now…" The woman shook her head as the pounding of feet slowed to what had to be frantic bouncing on heels by a dresser. "Akari, Akari… you should know better."

On the other side of the table, silverware clanged against porcelain and she smiled at the little boy studiously trying to clean his plate. "It's all right Yuri. You did fine. Go rush your sister yes?" The little boy nodded; tail swishing as he dropped to the floor. A trail of thin, black hairs followed him, leaving the doctor to sigh. "He's shedding… I'll have to make a note to my co-workers…" Being a scientist had its perks, but reporting the Ascension effects in your children was not one of them, no matter what the level.

Pulling herself from the table, the mother went to go get the dustpan, grateful there was a moment of silence above her ears. As she did, rapid footsteps went to greet her. Yuri bounced anxiously in his bare feet, looking up at her with deep blue eyes. "Mama," he said softly when she focused on him, looking nervously up the stairs. "Seeker."

Instantly the red woman sighed and hushed him. "Not again. Go get dressed now. I'll take care of her." He complied without delay, scurrying off to his room. She shook her head tiredly, gently reaching into her white labcoat for a small case. _Once again, you are overthinking this…_

Akane went placidly up the stairs and now heard the quiet sounds of rustling fabric and disobedient zippers yanked through the teeth. Reaching the doorway, she paused at the open mouth, watching the movements with the patience that only befitted a scientist, a pediatric examiner. Despite the fact that this was her daughter, this process was also very valuable information. She examined the surroundings, the slightly sweating room and in her ears the faint tinkling of an old tune from a half-dead radio. The air whispered instead.

"_Seeker… Seek and find…" _Blankly it whispered into her ears, trying to pull her in. Akane disregarded it, blowing it away as you would a ring of smoke.

Her daughter sighed softly through her hair, eyes mechanically focusing on the task at hand. She pulled the heart shirt over her ears, unaware of the brown stare on her back. "Seek it out," the young girl murmured, continuing ceaselessly onward. Again, her mother shook her head. _Oh the irony… I, a mere _Iota Illumi, _knowing the dangers of an _Alpha Nox_… survival of the fittest indeed. _That was the trouble with Ascensions, she believed, they could pose anything from no threat, an Iota Illumi, to the equivalent of a nuclear meltdown, if left unchecked. Unfortunately, her daughter had potential to be just that, Alpha Nox, First Black.

That didn't mean lose her head of course. She was trained for this. Without a word, she opened the case and removed a syringe. It was best to be safe than sorry. Stepping over, she bowed her head as she entered the room. Akane approached her daughter and gently placed a hand on your shoulder. "Sweetie," she murmured soothingly. "You need to relax." As her hand reached for her daughter's left arm, the fingers curled around her own wrist. The air shifted soothingly, wrapping warmly around the pair for a few moments. Slowly, Akane released her daughter's arm, stepping away. "Be careful Taiki."

Whether he heard her or not, she was uncertain. However, instincts made her return to the edge of her daughter's space. If anyone could calm the wrath of a "blackout", it was _certainly_ another Alpha Nox, especially one of this power. Akane had personal testimony to this. So she watched, envisioning the events in her mind.

The walls… they were likely the mediocre blending of white and blue pastel, blurring and dripping into darkness. There was only a pinprick of light in the distance, a destination a goal. It was the most literal tunnel vision every imagined, complete with the sound of gears shifting and only her own footsteps to remind her of where she was going. That was the description that haunted her little girl. The clear starless night and the arrival of the approaching train on her tracks… And she would move forward, endlessly forward, until the light engulfed her, body and mind, and she found her answer.

That could be moments. That could be months. For _**Seeker**_**, **time was meaningless.

What would come next would be a soft rumble. It was almost like purring, a pleased, lonely sort of purring. There would be clouds, the gentle ominous thunderheads that warned of sorrow. Then someone would hum; an old tune your mother used to rock you to sleep. Over this, he would plea, likely in these exact words. -_Akari. It's all right Akari. Wake up.-_

Akane watched her daughter's expression twist slowly, blankness rising into slow irritation. "You're going to be late Akari dear," she commented over the goings-on, like a rude person in a movie theater. The expression twisted again and the woman laughed outwardly. Inwardly, she made a mental tick. This was only a mild circumstance… for now. "Such a trouble of Alpha Nox," the woman murmured aloud. "You are so improbably difficult and utterly complicated."

"… I love you too Mom." Akari was blinking slowly, growling at thin airs she went back to her haphazard attempt at getting out the door. "Damn idiot… was his fault anyway… _late…_" Her indecipherable mumbling made the woman laugh, made the tension ease. If there was anything that made her daughter's skin crawl: it was being helpless or being late. The injustice grinded against her very bones. "Come on Mum move. I'm takin' too long. He's gonna pass out." She crossed her arms and huffed, tapping a blue-socked foot against the carpeting. Her mother gave her a hesitant look, and she sighed. "Mama I'm fine."

"Prove it dearie," was the woman's firm reply. "I have to be _sure._"

Akari scoffed and snarled all in one gesture, reluctantly lifting her eyes to lock gazes with the woman. Ascension level, the only stigma since race and religion to remain timeless. Alpha Nox, Blackouts, whatever they were called, the name haunted her more than any torture she gave herself. As her mother looked at her, _through _her, she held back the urge to quail and cower. _**Hawk's Eye**_, gods curse it that was her way and if genetics didn't play a part in Ascension she would kick someone in the stomach. There was never any accusation in that look no matter how many times it pressed inward toward her soul, but that didn't make it any less frightened. Because no one could let it go. No one could let anything go.

Slowly, the gaze left hers and her mother stepped back, leaving her to bolt down the stairs to where her back was resting on the coat rack. "Where's the green bottle?" Akari shouted as she ran, nearly sliding on the wood floor.

"The refrigerator," her mother replied, going to knock on Yuri's door. "You'd better hurry if you want to go with her." The little boy obediently trotted out the door and went down the stairs. "Make sure to thank him."

"I'm preventing him from getting a concussion!" Akari replied cheekily, forcing her feet into her shoes. She couldn't stay angry at any of them. It was too teenager. Besides, it was counterproductive to hate a doctor for doing their job properly. Not even the head of Ascension Investigations could break protocol for sentimentality.

"He's still a good boy," Akane hummed. "He's a misguided but good boy." The redhead laughed as she yanked a piece of cold toast from the plate. "Take care of your little brother," she commanded the middle child as she grabbed the nostalgic pink bag and run.

"If he can keep up with me!" was the sharp but playful retort. "I'm off!" Without waiting for the customary reply, Akari ran out the door, not looking back to even see her little brother's dark hair in the wind.

"Someone took a slow start," teased the deep tenor from a car.

"Go to work Dad," she yelled over the sound of the motor, laughing.

The incident was already forgotten, just another mishap in a day of mishaps and wild adventures. She would thank Taiki later of course. They always did take care of each other after all.

Basketball was not a complicated sport. It was team-oriented, but certainly not a big debacle. Unless of course, you were watching. Then it was simply needlessly complicated. If you were playing, all you had was the field around you and the ball occasionally hitting your hand. Everything else was second-best info. To any normal player, this was how things went.

To Kudo Taiki, thirteen-year-old prodigy of sound, the background was _the _best information he could find. The squeaks of the shoes warned him of surrounding people, the ball near his fingers warned him of where to move, the crowd warned of things he could not see. The environment was everything and only a true master of the environment could play remotely to their best. Though that rang true for all.

When it came to the dreams of others, he would give nothing if not his best.

This was of course, he knew as he dodged to the right, why Akari got upset with him. She simply didn't see the value of doing such a thing. He liked that about her, honestly. _I'll make it up to her this afternoon_. _There are no plans then._ Unless someone hit the street in front of him, he would happily give her his day. He just _couldn't stop_ helping people though. It was in his nature. He mused that it would likely bite him in the butt. However, that moment could not be now.

Taiki glanced over brown fringe to see his teammate Shizuo waving frantically over a blue jerseyed punk, as his mother put it. He shook his head with a friendly grin, spinning in a sparkle of a twist onto his back foot. "Come on now," he challenged. "Come and snatch it…"

"Go for it Taiki!" he heard over the din. Taiki laughed. Late to the party but early to the fighting. That was his girl. Akari slumped by the bench, panting with her brother at her side. Yuri glanced at him and smiled weakly, nodding at him.

Taiki nodded back as he spun. Oof, was he going to be dizzy in a minute. "Come on, here now… not! Shizuo!" He stopped abruptly and threw the orange sphere over his head, allowing Shizuo to cradle it for a grand total of multiple milliseconds.

"Thanks Taiki!" barked the blond, diving back into the fray. The brunette saluted with one hand and dogged his steps.

"I'll cover you! Make the shot!" He haphazardly twisted from lunging hands and unintentional fists to cover at his back. As he did, Taiki heard the drumbeats. They burst and thrummed, dancing and laughing with a delight only he could hear. _His sound…_ Taiki realized without a noise. All around him, lives danced in and out of each other, melding and merging into a cadence whirlpool. Shizuo's in particular picked up tempo, striking on the adrenaline rush that specialized in endgame force. Taiki felt his fingers twitch, itching to conduct and play… to _act…_

His grey gaze caught sight of Akari at that moment, saw the honey eyes glimmer with lingering effects from only twenty minutes ago. _Once was enough, _he told himself. No one else needed to play in the traffic today. _Besides, _he reflected gently. _I'm not yet. I would just cause her pain. We have a game to win… for now._ The announcer gave the seconds' warning and he called brightly. "Shoot Shizuo!" As he spoke, he shut his mouth abruptly as a stray teen limb struck him in the head, knocking him off balance. _Ow_… he had time to process, as he fell back. The ball struck and pierced net, making him grin weakly. "Game… over…" he remarked dazedly over the sound of the buzzer. Taiki tried to move and catch himself but his body didn't respond properly and instead he fell backwards. _Oops… _he giggled meekly as his eyes slipped shut.

Akari cursed tiredly. "Stay Yuri!" Screw people in the way! She jumped to her feet and practically flew across the gymnasium, knocking wayward testosterone to the side. Without hesitation, she dove, barely letting the fragile cranium meet the cotton pillow in her bag. People just stared as she sighed in relief. "Idiot…" muttered the preteen as she flicked the goggles in his hair, wishing to all that was holy that she could get a day off.

The other team members crowded around her, looking over the unconscious playmate with concern. "Hey, is he okay?" an opponent asked, sweat dripping down his blue jersey as he kneeled over her friend. One actually checked his pulse, making her mentally applaud. Who said good sportsmanship was dead?

Akari waved off the concern, though it was appreciated. "He's fine; just passed out again."

"Again?" repeated the opponent team in chorus, causing the rest of Koto Middle School to shake their heads.

"Yep," was Shizuo's merry, measured reply. He hadn't forgotten the victory and neither had they. However, he was in favor of getting his friend off the gym floor. So he went to yank the young man by his ankles. "He always does this sorta' stuff. If someone needs him, he'll do it." Shizuo chuckled. "Taiki's a funny guy like that." One of the opponents, still puzzled, went to help him carry the unconscious teen onto the nearest bench. Akari trotted after them, looking woefully unconcerned by the situation. Unless his blood pressure abruptly spiked, she tended not to pitch a fit after all was said and done.

Once her friend was properly settled, the redhead proceeded to shoo everyone away. "I'll take it from here. Thanks for panicking." They all shifted nervously like a choppy wave, causing her to groan. "Look, this is my job. Don't worry. Go clean off. You all smell." Various grumbles met this remark but she was obeyed this time. Shizuo remained loyally there, making her pout in false anger. "Go saunter away little _Sigma_. I'm his manager and I declare he will be fine." Shizuo's ears colored pink at the remark, opening his mouth to reprimand her lack of… well tact. You just didn't call out people's ranks willy-nilly. That was like declaring their sexual orientation to their crush. Naturally, Akari regarded this as simply a ridiculous notion and ignored it.

Before this scolding could be given however, Taiki let out a low-pitched groan. His eyes opened in a slit and he let out a dazed little wheeze. "Akari stop pesterin' him…" the brunette muttered hazily. "Go on Shiz'o, 'll be good in a minute…" This time, the blond was only too happy to comply. The second Taiki was sitting up; he bolted off, shooting Akari a dark glare as he did. Taiki sighed, returning to coherency. "You really need to work on this diplomacy problem."

Akari glared at him before huffing. "Who cares?" She was now officially grumpy again. "Nurses don't have to be nice." She pulled a water bottle from her bag and ungracefully threw it at his head. Taiki yanked it out of the air with a grateful smile and drank, cool liquid dripping down his face by accident. "So… are we done?" She certainly hoped they were.

"With my requests, yes," he replied, wiping his mouth. "This conversation, no. He's _leaving _Akari. The least you can do is not make him hate you in ten years." Akari scowled at this, turning her irritable look to the ceiling. He sighed kindly. "A-ka-ri."

"…_Fine_," she groused. "He's such a _kid _though." It wasn't such a big deal anyway. This was seriously the other reason she sometimes wanted to slap Taiki upside the head. The silliest things mattered to him. And he never got angry or upset, never. She wasn't even going to go into his lack of stress. That was just _unhealthy_. She continued to brood, not noticing her brother climbing onto the free space of her lap until he was _right there. _"Yuri!"

Taiki chuckled as the little boy curled up where he was, stubbornly combating his sister's cloudy mood. Akari only huffed, watching the people empty the stands. Indulgent chatter filtered in and out of her ears, muddling into messy snow. It was almost irritating, though in case no one had figured it out, she was very high strung. Taiki always found it rather funny. She made such a big deal out of things. _I wonder if I could get her to relax a little… it's a vacation after all._

Softly, Taiki smiled at the air and closed his eyes. For a moment, he simply listened. He listened to what was not precisely a sound or silence. It was musical, but a musical sort of _being._ That was the only way he could put to words this frightful, entrancing ability. That was the only way people accurately described _him,_ according to teacher reports. Slowly, he laughed a little and exhaled, letting the words reach him. _"-__Let's open the door to summertime,-__" _he smiled, peals ringing in each note. "-_Because there's someone waiting up ahead.-__"_

Akari jumped at the sudden music and her brother's ears twitched slowly. Then a blissful sigh left his lips while she herself whipped her head to see his expression. She wanted to tell him off, to slap him and break his little spell. However… he was doing this for her. Always, always he did this for her. It… it was obnoxious. Likely… it was too late too. She was already hearing the pings of jazz piano mixed with guitar. The beauty was already sweeping the world away. Even the harsh sunlight of the season dimmed to a serene sort of gold, smiling at them with love and not strength.

This wasn't happening though. She knew that. She knew… but it might as well have been real. That was what made it so potent, so poisonous. "Nocturne," she whispered softly, reverently. It was dangerous… to let it go on in this crowded place, to let him fall deeper and make the sky darken. And yet…

And yet.

_"Nocturne,"_ she repeated in awe, unable to even hear herself over the melodic voices that were joining in, the childlike sing-song of a lonely little girl. Yet Taiki heard her and opened his eyes to appraise her reaction. The grey irises were dim and sparkling, glass instead of organic in the blissful illusion, a smile that was slightly chilled as though after a winter storm. Her brother breathed deeply as though in a deep sleep, the deep REM sleep that only came from the latest part of the night. Through Taiki that night was singing, bringing them to rest on a featureless ocean floor.

She didn't mind. How could she? It was the voice of power, the voice that was louder than the commands. He was the clouds over her blinding sun.

Taiki was her Blackout.

* * *

Voices. They were calling her name. They were calling over the dream, a sweet, warm dream. Did she really want to wake up? But one needed her. One needed her awake and alive, but she couldn't quite remember _why?_ It escaped in the night, the answer. All of the answers seemed to do that…. Unless she opened her eyes

"Akari," begged a high-pitched whine, fingers wrapped on one side of her arm. A voice repeated this, its request a wet growl from a deep, menacing muzzle. The final was loud, a bellowing beat from a snare. Urgh, she despised drums. They overpowered rhythm, overpowered song. People simply did not know how to use them properly.

_-Akari.-_

She coughed, eyes shifting open through a viscous fluid. She regretted this instantly, agony trickling down though her torso like a wild beast was clawing her from the inside. Akari coughed a second time, grasping for breath. Then her lungs calmed, though it wasn't exactly smooth sailing. "Mother of the March..." She groaned. "What truck ran me over?"

"A blue one called Greymon," came the low growl, this time at a distance. Behind her head, the answering creature sat on its haunches, scoffing with disquiet. "Reckless brat… his strength will destroy his kingdom before it can go up…" Sitting up, Akari made the effort to examine her surroundings. It was hard, as she realized quickly that not only did pain swell her gaze closed, but the area was dark. The air was cold and scented with earth and rock, cooling the red on her chest. Akari finally managed to pick him out, that white and orange wolf. She examined his dinged armor and frowned, face paling slowly further at the injuries marring him. New scars, she realized. Because of her, this one would have new war marks, ones that invited more challenges, more troublesome things.

"Thank you…" she uttered quietly at the unspoken implications. He waved a front paw in disregard, almost smiling through his fur. A small hand clamped around her arm and she tensed, only to see Yuri's dark eyes outlined in the pitch. His small face was pinched with a cherubic anxiety and she reached with her other hand. "Let go," she scolded. "I'm still here. See?" He nodded nervously, allowing her to glimpse the tears welling up in those eyes. "Stop with that. I'll be all right." When Yuri didn't let go, she firmly pried her arm from his grip, stern and demanding. "Enough of that."

"Why?" Akari looked to the third, the boy with the kendo stick. He gave her a gaze of admonishment. "You were hit badly and you expect him to be calm?"

"No _Zenjirou,_" she replied acidly. "I expect him to be _brave_." Yuri flinched, shame burning his face. The brunette in front of her saw this and scowled, resisting the urge to hit her by the looks of things.

"That's your _brother," _he retorted, not with offense but simply anger. "You got thrown into a tree Akari-kun."

"Well, I bet the tree came out worse," she countered with a roll of the eyes. "We don't have _time _to be scared, not him and not us." Akari got to her feet gingerly, leaning on a cave wall. "I sure as hell don't have it." She limped slowly toward the mouth of the cave; her ears now clear enough to catch the sounds of mechanized lightning. That was the only way she could accurately put to words the diving energy beams that were now making the earth tremble and the outside sky roar. At the edge of the safety area, the redhead stopped and stared outside.

Once the land had been lush and green, she had seen it herself. Once there had been blue sky and stone buildings. Now, mere days after their arrival, there was merely ruin, ruin of a meadowland whose name she didn't even recall. However, it didn't concern her now because it wasn't Earth… and this battle meant nothing to her. She knew it should, just as her brother's feelings and Zenjirou's ignorance ought to have mattered… but they simply _did not_. They were blips on her radar of life. Still, she would regret them later. She always did.

"You humans… you are very fragile." The wolf padded up to her, watching the lightning and the attacks reflect off of her eyes. Akari smiled humorlessly. "Does that statement seem funny?"

"It's funny because it's true." She paused. "Is that guy still out there Dorulumon?"

He nodded and snorted. "Yes. He won't give up until he finds his partner. I can't say I blame him for being concerned. As long as that guy keeps this up… no one is safe." The wolf saw her free hand clench tightly into a fist, small, lanky body shaking with suppressed feelings that ground themselves from her teeth. "After your little speech… Don't tell me you're frightened."

Akari whipped around to glare at him, amber to amber. Before she would have been terrified by the casually snarling face, by the amused smirk that was examining her body for _just _the right place to strike but now… now she knew better. It only made her angry. It only reminded her of what was missing. "Frightened?" She asked him. "I'm only in your world where people blow each other up for a living over a golden bauble! I'm sitting here in a cave as an ego tripped idiot bombs a village after I nearly got vaporized. _Yeah, _I'm not frightened. Yeah there is _nothing _to be scared of." Before Dorulumon could interrupt. "No, I'm not scared at all. I'm angry. I want to rip open these idiots' throats with my bare hands. I want to tear your world apart and find what I'm looking for. I want to go home _alive_ so forgive me if I have to take feelings _out _of the equation!"

As she turned away from him, the Digimon only smiled. "All of these things that are happening now… don't humans do the exact same thing?"

Akari snorted. "I didn't ever say I liked humans much either." She shook her head. "I'm not the social butterfly, the good one. I don't want to be either. I do what I need to do for my own sake." _Yet here you are worrying, _she added to herself.

Zenjirou stepped toward her. "How cold of you," he observed, her brother silently standing by his knee. His tears were gone, eyes stony. "Why?"

Akari smiled at him. _Why _was the most foolish questions to ever be formed. "You'll see soon enough. We all will." He scoffed softly and Akari reflected that baiting him like this was hazardous to her health. Supposedly Zenjirou was able to squash her like a gumball. He was nothing to squawk at. This naturally didn't stop her. Nor of course, did the hellish outdoors, which she stepped out into with a shout. "Shoutmon!"

The response was a brutal, joy-filled roar over her head. A small body spun through the air, grinning excited battle lust as he landed at her feet. "Finally awake Sleeping Beauty? Then let's get movin'!" She scoffed, reaching into one of her pockets. At the touch of unfamiliar metal on fingertips, the device grew warm, beginning to burn. Akari hissed sharply and the red dragon groaned, trying and failing to negate an attack and ending up sprawled on the ground. Akari snarled and vainly tried to wrap her fingers around the increasingly burning device. The smell of oily meat rose near her nostrils and the redhead jerked her hand back, seeing blistered fingers steaming in the air.

Grinning with strained distaste, Akari frantically waved the others away. "Get back! You too Shoutmon!" The monster glowered blue eyes at her, standing back up with the assistance of a microphone-shaped bludgeon. "Yes you! We can't do anything if we're dead okay?" _As much as I want to go… as much as I want to do something… is this the world's way of shoving me back into a stereotype? _Thankfully not privy to her thoughts, the creature followed her in retreating back inside.

"No luck again…" a mechanical voice grunted by way of greeting. Shoutmon nodded slowly, glaring painfully at the air. "That human… is a strong _General…_ he's won… this place." A red arm reached out and gently patted Shoutmon's head. "It will be all right."

"Like hell!" the creature spat, stamping his white foot in frustration. "We were supposed to protect this place… to protect _every single Zone!_ But we can't! Damn it! Damn this!" He took a deep breath and roared to the outside world. "At least let me _thank _your ass! You saved my damn life! Where _are _you?" Akari winced at his screams, her blistered hand struggling to stop trembling.

_Taiki… _

They had fallen here together. But he wasn't here. So… where was he? She wouldn't go back, not without him. She couldn't; it was simply an impossible feat. They were foils; but they were friends first, and she would not give up her first friend that easily.

For a moment, weak notes danced on a fading music line.

* * *

Water droplets were his first sound.

He stirred gently, pain registering like the deep thrums of a cello. He almost moved in reply, a reflexive grasp at quelling the sensation. Yet he found himself immobile the instant he dared and reflected against further attempts. This was not the worst pain he had experienced, not even humiliation was the worst, yet he decided against making more of something that there really did not need to be. _I wonder…_ His thoughts murmured lazily. _I wonder… where I am… _Sound trickled into his ears with the water and he began to make out a soft, measured breathing. It was slightly frantic, as if the other occupant was struggling to contain their mirth.

He stirred, as if to speak, but a sensation halted this, the soothing touch a melody of cold bliss on his skin. _Let me, _it said simply, as it said many times before. He acquiesced, not putting too much thought into the matter. He never did. As he let go, the tense position he wore loosened and rattled the chains. _Chains?_

The occupant started, silent for a moment before the mirth broke, laughter in his delighted words. "How wonderful! You've _lived_! Quite sturdy aren't you… for a _human_ especially." The term was scoffed rather than spoken, nobility in its own twisted way he supposed. "Why don't you open your eyes boy? I will not bite!"

His mouth curved slowly without volition, curving into a cloying smile. "I am frightened I will go blind sir," sang a voice from his lips, tender and warm. Airily it hummed, muffling the grind of metal against metal in his ears. Armor, perhaps? His chin was abruptly lifted, held by large, gloved fingers. Despite the apparent care, the yank sent pain swimming through him, bursting through the dull numbness his wrists and ankles had been experiencing. He almost gasped but the child could not. After all, it was not him at the moment.

"Aren't you foolish," rasped the voice with amusement, heavy breathing puffing heatedly into his face. He received a small laugh in return.

"Perhaps dear friend," he answered softly. "Or perhaps you simply aren't frightening."

The occupant released him. He almost opened his eyes to see the large creature-for that was what it must be, to grip him in that manner- yet it, likely out of pride now, simply did not occur. _What happened… _he finally asked himself, the question dwindling away in his head after being thought of. The memories of prior to now did not linger in his mind and he could not hope to seek them out.

Over his thoughts, the other spoke, smiling through his annoyance it seemed. "I shall have to change that." He paused, baritone threat humming like a faulty massage chair. When he continued, it was almost to himself, casual thoughts unthinking. "Perhaps this will be more than I anticipated…. He has never made things easy for me." There was another silent pause, leaving him to be addressed moments after. "I suppose you are confused."

"I am chained to a wall dear friend," the child answered. "Naturally, I am quite concerned for my well-being."

This earned a laugh, if nothing else. "Clever." The occupant collected himself gradually, like a child with its toys. "You are my prisoner in my humble abode. You see, you are a very important puzzle piece to someone I know. I don't want him to beat me easily. Unfortunately you were injured in the retrieval. My apologies."

"Your concern is very kind of you," he murmured.

"You're welcome," the noble sniffed. "Now I'm afraid these chains were for your benefit. No need to make your injuries worse after all. Don't fret, more comfortable quarters will be made for you soon. You are a guest and a nobleman must show at least some courtesy."

The speech filtered in and out of his ears and in his silence the other slipped away in contemplation. Then he felt his lips quiver and he smiled himself and asked warmly, "What should I call you then… my savior?"

There was a moment, and endless instant, when he at last felt the eyes on him. They were enraged, pulsing with power and desperation. There was disdain too. Oh yes…. Plenty of that. Then it vanished and like a honey liquor, evened the air in the room once more. Yet he remained still, unwavering. "I am called DarkKnightmon. What are you, little human?"

Taiki smiled. "People have called me a fair few things in my short life… but you can call me Nocturne, if it suits you fine. I certainly enjoy the title." Even as the gesture etched itself onto his face, sweat trickled from his head to the floor. It burned at his cheeks, his likely marred cheeks. Was it so horrible, he wondered, what had happened? Had such a thing happened to the others? If so… there would be a price to pay. And forgiveness of course. Always people would be forgiven?

_Stay safe Akari… everyone. I'll be all right._

For his sake, he would have to be fine.


	2. Chapter 2: Cadence: My Resolve

Welcome! I am posting this at school. You guys owe me, just kidding. To all who have reviewed, thank you so much. If I haven't replied to your review yet, rest assured that they will be up this week. These past few weeks have been rough on me. I apologize for the inconvenience (please did I spell that right?)

A big shout out to The Reviews Lounge too for being a group of awesome people.

Thanks go to:

Anon Fanfic Reader, Sgt Rypht, MessengerofDreams, and vampirianhime for following

Sgt Rypht and vampirianhime for favoriting

MessengerofDreams for archiving

*deep breath dramatically inserted here* Sgt Rypht, MessengerofDreams, kitkatritrat, Regina Demonica, TheFictionFairy, RedheadedMarina, Edhla, and XxLoveMakesTheWorldGoRoundxX for reviewing. I appreciate your critiques and am glad you enjoyed it.

Also, I realized the other day that putting the playlist up here is strange. I will take it down from chapter 1 when I edit it tonight.

Quick little notes:

(1)The Ascensions are not canon. If you've been confused, I'm really, really sorry.

(2) We have a minor jumping around in time in this chapter again. Following this chapter we will be moving in a linear time frame.

(3) Itoko is Japanese for cousin. I would have kept the English word but for this one instance and for any honorifics, I will mostly keep the Japanese.

(4) For anyone who is reading this who has seen the Xros Wars anime, originally Zenjirou does go to the same school as Taiki. However, because the show revealed this about as well as a chicken, I changed his school over. Plus it will make more sense. Everyone who doesn't know the anime to that extent, don't worry about it.

(5) Yuri is a wolf. In a sense. Someone called him a dog. He is a wolf.

That's all I think I have to note, except let me know if there are any formatting issues. This was originally typed on Google Docs. Please sit back, hold tight, and enjoy Chapter 2 of _A Plea for Requiem._

* * *

Chapter 2: Cadence ~My Resolve~

_"In the case of an Ascension, it is best to consider them akin to a parasitic symbiosis. Though they have no physical form that we are aware of, they survive within us. Perhaps it came about due to adaptation and humans died before recorded history. Perhaps even to those creatures which have no brain to think, survival urges linger, shown all too clearly by the Alpha Nox."_

_-Professor Abraham Cadestrum, side interview, 2014_

Discipline.

It was a precise strike to the head, wooden blade making a "killing strike" to the ground where a target lay on the ground. His arms ached, muscles throbbing from hours of exertion with thick pads on his body. Despite that, the brunette smiled, wiping sweat from his brow as he removed his head guard. His opponent was a mass of pulp-erm,straw- and his exhaustion was met with results. _I only got struck twice this time around._ For victory, it was worth it, though almost anything was really. Removing the rest of his armor, the young male closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. His hands trembled slightly as he returned to firmly gripping his _shinai,_ shivering with the unrelieved tension. Slowly, his shoulders lowered and the boy breathed. Thoughts slithered around his brain and he tried to grasp one, only for it to flee. Gritting his teeth underneath the folds of his lips, the young man chased it. He couldn't waver today.

"It's blazing out lad. You need strength, not heat stroke."

Tsurugi Zenjirou blinked, eyes suddenly aware of the sunlight streaming out. "Ow..." He had been out here way too long. The voice laughed at this. The boy turned, looking at the tall, almost intimidating height of the man on the stone stairs. It would complete a frightening picture if his strength were to match. He was little more than a paper shield with skin armor. However, this made him no less dangerous. Zenjirou had enough welts on the back of his legs to attest to that. Besides to assume someone to not be strong was a defect. Zenjirou knew to assume anything was only what they seemed was a personal weakness.

The weakness was not a frightening one however. Ignorance could be overcome. Ignorance could be surpassed. Much like fear.

"Morning Dad," the teen greeted brightly, carefully shifting his body to lean on the shinai. His blade let out a crack, wooden shrapnel clattering to the stone. He winced and lazy brown eyes silently scolded him, more amused than angered. "Oops..." he mumbled, ears turning pink. There was no way to cover this one up. "I still don't know my own strength..." He moved nervously onto the balls of his feet, awaiting his father's disappointed rebuke. These were costly items, more than his father could afford to continue to replace, especially not for his lack of discipline.

His father sighed, expression waning from a smile to disapproval with the most immeasurable frown. "Zenjirou... that was a spare..."

Zenjirou hung his head in return slowly, shame rising in him like a serpent. Again he had forgotten himself. Again he would need to practice tonight. Meditation was not and never would be his strong suit, at least in his mind. Raising his head, he closed his eyes once more, desperate to get it right. It wouldn't do if he messed up today; it would be practically a humiliation on his soul! … Perhaps not _quite _so dramatic. He felt his heart thudding in his chest and pounced on the sound. The rush of his heartbeat began to burst in his attempt, almost doubling in speed in the gradually warming air. It almost grew to a roar in his ears.

"No Zen," his father scolded, instantly aware of what he was up to, as his father always seemed to be. "Not on that. You are being controlled, not controlling. Something _else, _lad!" The odd burr of Scottish dipped the words in Zenjirou's ears, suddenly very noticeable. The younger wondered quite what agitated him so much. He thought his pulse was a _fine _thing to think about, to relax to. After all as long as his heart was beating, he had no reason to fear. He had nothing to really dread... so long as it was beating...

Oh. Oh _hell._

_A heartbeat changes too much, _he realized and slumped in defeat. "I can't do this anymore," he groaned, opening his eyes to look at his father's face. Kendo required patience, control, being flexible. As Zenjirou looked at the cracked concrete, reluctantly placing the equipment over one shoulder, he felt frustration prick the corners of his eyes. _Maybe it's just not my day... I made that rookie of a mistake; _"Sorry dad," he finally said, pouring remorse into a deep, stiff bow. His muscles protested but his manners did not. "I'm having a lot of trouble today... maybe it's the heat. I wasn't doing too much better in the dark either."

A little lie was what that was and his eyes informed him that fact had not escaped his father's notice. However Tsurugi Shiro gave a genial smile and pretended to swallow it, a bitter draught for such an honest, good-hearted man. His lips only twitched at the corners, allowing him to speak. "Fair enough lad," the Scot murmured, slowly making his way back toward the long staircase. "We'd better hurry before your mum's eggs go soggy hey?"

His son smiled with relief, feeling his stomach gurgle at the very idea of food. Sustenance was a wonderful thing and when wonderful things were in concept, they just had to be had. It was just that simple. That incentive in mind, he almost breezed past his dad down the shrine path. His euphoria made his steps click against the carved ground. Shiro shook his head, marveling at his child as he began his own slow descent, left leg protesting.

He feared for this innocent child.

_What will become of you? _He watched his boy, his _Beta _boy, and mourned with a smile. Never let your child see you weak. His father had taught him that and he would preach that lesson himself until he lay on his deathbed. It was the only lie that was allowed, nay preached for. "Isn't today important lad?" he called down the hill, pulling Zenjirou from the anticipatory bliss. The young man frowned pensively, a severe gleam slowly burning into chocolate eyes. "Didn't you choose today," the man persisted? "Mark it with... a _challenge_ perhaps?"

Zenjirou made a wolfish grin up toward him, craning his neck almost painfully. "Yeah... today is justice." He let out a weighty laugh and stopped walking. "I must restore my honor, my school's honor. I can't really call myself a warrior until I do." Then he snickered at the voice he made, allowing his father to join him. It was slightly forced, trying to veil the truth, the seriousness of the matter. Even as he chuckled at himself, humiliation made his fist clench on the equipment and his posture hunch. If this was a laughing matter, he would still be in bed, he wouldn't be so... angry. They knew that. His lack of control... it mattered. It mattered to this and to every other thing. If he could focus with a weapon in hand, he could be calm enough to do anything... or work with anyone.

The young man smiled a little more, almost hard enough to make his jaw ache. "I'll beat him this time," he promised, walking once more. "I'll beat that _rookie_. My heart will calm and I will surpass him."

Shiro only nodded in return, anxiety rippling as his son tripped and almost hit a pillar. Two months of training had led up to today, and as far as he was concerned, the lad wasn't much better than he was then. He had lost to a beginner, or what had to have been one. It had been almost pathetically fast, destroying Zenjirou's reputation as the finest young swordsman in the Koto ward in one fell swoop.

Normally, Shiro would want his son's to have a rematch as soon as possible, salvage his pride. However, for once, the man wished he would abstain from this practice. He had seen the boy he had faced. He was an _Alpha, _one of the _Alpha Nox._ Every time he saw a medication with _Ignite Medical'_s bright red logo pass across his sister-in-law's pharmacy counter he would cringe, watching the pill bottle fall into the hands of young, confused children who didn't even know what they were, medication that as far as he could tell barely even worked. The worst part of it was: there was simply no way his son could match that with or without. The gap between Ascension levels was like that span between the farthest star and a child's hand.

_Alpha level ought to be banned from such events, _he thought grimly, squinting the sun away from his eyes. _There would be so many less forms to fill out, that permission slip would be banned... and there wouldn't be that forsaken ambulance on site... suppression pills my ass..._ Those pills had been going across the pharmacy counter since his_ grandfather _was a baby during the nuclear bomb drops. Half the time they made the Ascensions _worse!_ His right shoulder twanged in pain and reflexively the man looked over at his arm, flexing stiff fingers. If they could kill someone, they would. Just like...

"_...Hey... hey Dad. Look. Look at how much its glowing. Hey look, okay?"_

It was an accident, they said, a nasty car accident the news reported. Right. Okay.

"Dad?" Zenjirou stared in puzzlement at his father, the man nearly walking right past their front door. "We're home." Shiro smiled by reflex and shook his head. He needed to think a little less, it seemed. Limping toward the door, he shook his head at his own bitterness. It wasn't even the child's fault really... Perhaps he was a good boy... and he would likely refuse the challenge. If they were lucky, that would happen. Then again... his son wasn't very lucky, case in point as he bent over and all of the equipment fell over his shoulders. The male muffled a curse as the front door swung open. Shiro chuckled.

"Welcome back, you two!" His wife's voice chimed gently from the kitchen, followed by the smell of partially burnt bacon. Inwardly, Zenjirou chuckled. His mother just was not a good cook. That or she was distracted. He confirmed this after toeing off his _geta_ sandals, entering the kitchen to see his mother buzzing a spoon in the air like an airplane, toddler eyes following it with utter fascination. Another male, one Zenjirou thought of fondly as the best cousin, wrinkled his nose at the sight of the teen.

He turned his head away, pinching his tiny nose. "You stink. Go shower, stinkhead."

Zenjirou pouted. "You just don't appreciate a morning's effort!"

The ten-year-old snorted, childlike cynicism showing its face. "And I also don't smell."

Shiro watched his wife playfully wrinkle her nose and laughed, Zenjirou's ears turning bright pink. "M-Mum!" The room almost shook with laughter as he hunched his shoulders. "F-Fine! I'll go... Sheesh!" Despite the embarrassment, he happily noted his father's smile. _What is he so worried about?_ His opponent was merely a boy with a little luck, and luck ran out eventually. He would win this time. He had to. Samurai weren't allowed second chances on the battlefield. Any further... well, it wasn't going to happen. That thought in mind, he headed for the stairs, only for an orange pill bottle to fly and smack painfully into the back of his brown head.

"Smooth Zen," called his mother, starting another round of chuckling. He shook his head and picked up the medication, swallowing a pill dry. He almost gagged and spat it out, wiping his lips of spit. _Urgh. _He almost sympathized with his uncle, except his uncle was an ultrareligious man of_ some _variety, so therefore it was difficult to take the man seriously. There were only so many rants on big business and God abandoning the human race one could take after all.

In the bathroom, Zenjirou coaxed their poor, ancient faucet to life. In return it splashed his back with ice water, soaking his kimono and making him grimace. "Beautiful." Wow, he needed the shower fast. That water had felt way too good for him. _Goodness, I need to be less of a girl... but what kind of man shows up to war smelling like death and alcohol and expects to make it out alive? _He stepped under the water. There was no way another fluke would happen. He could win... and without any tricks.

There was a loud bang on the door. "I-to-ko! You're steaming up the hallway!"

Zenjirou snorted, returning to reality with a plop. He had work to do. No time to dance here.

* * *

Something about the air was different when he arrived at his destination. He wasn't sure _what_ or _why _exactly, since it was a mere public school free from a basketball game. People streamed from the gymnasium, adults and children drifting like birds. Among them were his schoolmates, kids from the basketball team, glaringly obvious in their bright blue old jerseys.

He walked up to them, waving a hand to catch the eyes of the captain, an old friend. They were sweaty and laughing, one dribbling a ball with the inability to keep still.

"How'd it go?" he called when the captain nodded at his direction, pitching his voice over the dull roar. In truth, Zenjirou had no interest in the mangled disarray that was the sport of basketball. It was too chaotic, much more of a flurrying web than a battle, more fun than serious. However, he respected their passion for the game. If they put the effort into this as he did to his swordsmanship, then he had no right to be rude. He certainly did wish he could take a loss as gracefully as they usually did.

Isao shook his head in disbelief, green eyes glimmering with shades of humility. "We lost man." He wiped his brow with a wry chuckle and thin hand. "It was rough," he admitted, pride crushed. "Ain't faced a team like that in... man a _year _at least. Thought that class sucked... East has gotten _good_..."

"Or last year's sucked," muttered the vice-captain, a young man whose name Zenjirou simply could not recall, bitterly glowering at the passing gymnasium. People laughed and Zenjirou felt his free hand curl into a fist. His other trembled around the equipment on his shoulder. To be rude behind an opponent's back like that... how distasteful. _Someone ought to bench them... _he thought sourly, opening his mouth to speak.

Isao thankfully intervened, glowering dangerously at each snickering preteen. "Enough." The guffaws silenced immediately, cowed by their captain's icy stare. "We lost. We don't have a right to jeer. They were better today. That's it."

"For real man," added a stringy boy, rolling his eyes. "You guys are supposed to be the vets'." Zenjirou smothered a smile at the expressions dotting players' faces, waving sheepishly to diffuse the clearly rising tension in shoulders. Isao glanced around anxiously, waving the group along when he was sure silence reigned. _Nothing quite as strong as a defeat... or so humbling._

Separating from them, Zenjirou jogged toward the gymnasium. The bags of armor slapped his spine eagerly with his enthusiasm. As he walked, the swordsman tilted his head slowly. A noise, so soft and intangible it almost could be ignored, fluttered through the wind. It was almost like a voice, a song that soothed the heat on his skin. The sun didn't even seem to glow as brightly. How... strange. Slowly, he recalled his father's words as he ran out the door.

"_He's an Alpha Nox lad. They aren't like your mum or me, or even you. They're born to change the world and somehow, they always do._"

For the first time, he felt in danger, almost irrationally uneasy, shivering to himself. Then he scoffed at himself. "P-Please, like that's even plausible. Anyone c-can change the world." All the same, he was curious now, excited about the potential in this _Ascension._ Maybe he could not hold back... and they could have something greater than an ordinary kendo match. Accepting this possibility, Zenjirou slammed open the large metal doors and bellowed out for the room to hear:

"Kudo Taiki! Duel me in a battle of honor!"

It was meant to create chaos, drop guards. It didn't happen. As he looked around him, the music in his ears was now so much louder, so much clearer. The source was his opponent, who sat on the bench in what was almost a trancelike ease. Song flowed from his lips as serenely as the earth turned, unrestrained by the triviality known as breathing. The echoes of Zenjirou's war cry did not fade but rather froze, falling like the pieces of a broken ship.

Perhaps he had not been heard. Zenjirou prepared to step forward and announce himself once more as grey eyes abruptly looked to appraised him from the other side of the room. They were not merely slate but the color of rain-drenched steel. Even at this distance, he could see himself, a determinedly rash child.

_This is an Ascension._

A chilling sweat ran down Zenjirou's spine, sticking his green shirt to his skin. He himself trembled as the other smiled kindly, languid in all things. This was an Ascension that was doing this; chilling the air, dimming his thoughts like a faulty light switch The other's posture did not change from his recline on midair, nor did the voice tremble or fade away with embarrassment. _Can I fight this, _he wondered insanely to himself. _We're both kids... and yet... why didn't I notice this the last time? _

Perhaps his father had been right after all, right to be worried.

Zenjirou gripped his shinai and strode forward, eyes burning with fierce triumph. He wasn't dead from the kid, and besides, he was overwhelming himself. It was a match that he could win! Even if his _Ascension _was mere _Beta _level, and nothing like the overwhelming historical events of an Alpha, they were young and there was still time. They were, after all, only human.

As if hearing that thought, the boy drew his song to a close. It was strange, now that Zenjirou had reached Taiki, how strangely _young_ he appeared. It was almost innocent, how his tiny smile made his lips create a crescendo all their own. "Hello," the boy greeted the moment the song ended, light eyes blinking dreamily in his direction. "How are you?" As he spoke, the girl at his side, who the swordsman had honestly just noticed, stirred from a dazed stupor of her own. _Did he... bring her along? _He shook his head, resisting the odd haze that was still lingering in the air and in his head.

"Hello Kudo Taiki," he replied, waiting for the surprise at being recognized. When it wasn't given, he sighed. "I suppose you know me."

"I know what you're here for," Taiki replied cheerfully, cherubic expression glancing lightly around the area. Zenjirou felt the fear vanish as though in the aftermath of a storm. "You shouted something... a challenge?" He looked the other boy up and down inquisitively, trying to define something in the other's stance. "Sorry but..." He smiled sheepishly, the pure sincerity of the emotion unnatural. "I don't know you."

_Ow. _"You don't know me," he repeated incredulously, voice strained with instinctive self-control. "You don't know the best swordsman in Koto?" Taiki still frowned, befuddlement in half-lidded eyes. "What a shame for me," he declared dramatically, fire burning up in his eyes. "To have not only been _beaten_ but forgotten by the only one who has bested me in combat!"

"Can't be that great," grumbled the girl, dazed tone unable to conceal the contempt. He glanced at her and scowled. She was cute to look at, barring her expression, a pinched gaze set in by an almost permanent frown. Taiki looked at the odd, blue bundle in her lap and chuckled, even as Zenjirou's eyebrows furrowed with offense, position shifting like a strutting peacock. "Can't be that great of a man," she repeated with a scoff, opening amber eyes in a squint. "You lost to himand he _forgot_." She jerked her thumb at her friend, causing the other to sigh.

"Akari," he scolded, shaking his head at her. "A man's pride is _tender_." Despite the admonishing steel in his words, the expression did not actually change. "Rather like yours," he added Zenjirou felt an ember of triumph rise in his stomach as the so-named Akari turned five different shades of mortified red. Then the bundle squirmed and jumped to the floor. Zenjirou yelped as it landed near his feet, revealing a small wolf pup staring at him. Akari snickered ungracefully while Taiki politely hid a smile behind a gloved hand.

The redhead laughed raucously, the sound neither disdainful nor humorless. It was rather chilly actually. "Damn… you suck. You want to fight Taiki... yet my _brother_ is a scare." Big blue eyes looked at her in reproach, which was quickly dismissed with a wave of her fingers. "Yuri, you're a scrawny twerp. Too fluffy to scare much of anyone." It scowled as much as a furry face could and padded away, shifting from his paws to too large hands and feet, limbs lengthening and thinning in an odd, halting silence. Akari threw clothes at the transforming creature, shaking his head "No modesty... now _that's_ terrifying." The little boy pulled his shirt over his head, dressing with the rather mechanical repetition children do.

Zenjirou applauded at this, grinning wide enough to split his face. "That was awesome!" The other two stared rather blankly at him, causing him to cough and elaborate. "I've never seen a transformation before!" Yuri peered at him quizzically before trotting away, forgetting about it as he went to stand by the bench. "That's an amazing one." Akari rolled her eyes and without a thought, he flared up at her. "What is the matter with you? he snapped. "You are so cold and negative! You're calling me a coward with words like that yet you won't even say what's on your mind! Why don't _you _face me in a fight?"

"Like I would want to bother!" she retorted, rising to her feet and glaring hotly. "Only an idiot would go and declare a challenge like that and not think they wouldn't look stupid! And like I'd play fair if we did!" Taiki looked between the two of them, lips twisted with a childlike confusion. Then his expression clouded, a frown narrowing his eyes into pale slits. The gaze then widened once more, slowly being drawn to the sky showering through the glass ceiling. The other two did not see this but Yuri did, and he began tugging on the other's green pants urgently.

Instead Zenjirou snapped over the event, eyes chilly. "It is only fair for an honorable warrior to pronounce his challenge! Only a coward would strike while an enemy was unaware!" His brown eyes were smoky, fists clenching around the shinai holding his equipment. He wanted to curse and spit. He had been ready to engage in combat, to earn back the title he deserved. Yet here was this girl, almost like a bodyguard, tugging him away from that. Her haughty manner was so unnecessary, seeming to belong to only people in power, or apparently people who thought they had it.

"Definition of a storybook hero, ain't ya?" she snipped tartly, tapping her foot. "Look, save your manly show of strength for some other lifetime, maybe as a woman. So you lost to this guy, big deal." Akari shrugged dismissively. "Everyone does."

"How can you be so sure," he challenged. "I mean no offense to you-" He turned to the brunette and his retort choked him silent. The other's face was blank, a pallid, white sheet slipping into his skin. He stared up at the sun, as though wishing it would disappear. Akari looked at him and her brother in turn, who was scrambling inside a duffel bag.

Taiki lowered his gaze toward the doorway on the other side of the room, position moving from sitting to almost a crouch. "You're not going to die," he said quietly and his grey gaze _grew_, nearly a pair of silver voids that were trying to swallow them both without even knowing they were there. "You're not going to die," he repeated steadily to the air, rising to his feet like a cat. "Now tell me where you are."

A moment later and he was gone, darting into the offensive sunshine.

The remaining pair looked at each other and irritation bubbled in their eyes. It froze into a chilly foam when Yuri followed the other boy, a strange cylinder curled in one hand. At the sight of this, Akari tore her gaze away, an act Zenjirou suspected few people could make her do willingly, and started walking. "Come on little _Beta_," she sneered without malice, going after them with bag in hand. "Keep up!"

Zenjirou sputtered, wondering if his Ascension level was now magically taped to his forehead. "H-How did you-"

She chuckled harshly. "Because I'm _not!_" With that cryptic repl, she was off, tearing ahead with an intensity some would call obsession He dropped his kendo equipment and followed. There was no reason to hesitate, none for him to fear in this confusing situation. That aside...

He laughed again. "You certainly are an interesting opponent Kudo Taiki!"

* * *

_Don't cry._

The pink rabbit stirred from sleep, pink sensors twitching as the sound of large paws made their way across carpeted stone. _Don't cry, _his mind whispered as the cell door creaked open. Beady black eyes peeked and squeezed shut again, aching from the lantern light in the hallway. The air thudded softly, bouncing his feeble body into the air as the creature walked. Murmurs echoed around him, agitated and shaking. It could be them. Maybe it would be.

_Maybe we'll all die today._

"Up," bleated a rough voice, not unkindly. "Up now. You're needed." It was talking to him, he realized miserably. This new voice, perhaps a new guard, was talking to him. He was needed. What would it be for? Would he live longer? Would he be healing? _No way, _ his mind chided. _There are thousands of healers here..._ "Come on," urged the voice. "Up!"

The rabbit obeyed slowly, looking mournfully at the tattered remains of his muffler. _Papa... Mama... I'm still here. _ He got to his feet shakily, blood flowing back into his limbs.

"Kyu..." he breathed out softly over the cries behind his head. Without looking back, he went out the door, ignoring the whines and screams and betrayed looks. Cutemon had learned his lesson the last time.

Don't do anything for anyone you can't save, shame or no shame. After all, if you're dead, there's nothing you can do.

Outside of the cells, the hallway ran dark with streams of data bursting from what should have been windows. The lanterns clattered against the walls, making a storm patter against those patterns. He wondered what Zone this place many times before, but considering the last time someone had wondered aloud, he bit his lip into silence. There in the bright passage was a goat, the bell around his neck chiming in time with the flashing code. It was definitely a new guard, Cutemon thought, crouching in nervousness on the scarlet carpet. Next to him was a robed man, a tall, hooded _human_.

The little Digimon froze, looking up at the large, intimidating presence who from the little one's vantage seemed to touch the sweeping ceiling. He smiled at the Digimon by his foot, scarlet eyes politely glimmering with delight. Cutemon felt sick, as his "ears" flattened downward. He was _not _supposed to be here, in this place, on this plane. That thought inserted and clung itself to his young mind as the man knelt and a robed arm slipped over his own head. The calloused palm stroked the top of his head, scratching behind the ears. His paws curled into fists, instincts telling him to run. He remained still, almost impatiently so. Of all things, it was safest to be a pet.

"The master of the castle is certainly unkind," the man commented with a tut, lifting his hand away and beginning to walk. His companion followed loyally, silently now that the work was done. Cutemon held back a trademark squeak and ran after them on stubby, flayed legs. Hearking the squeal of red boots, the tall man turned and chuckled. "Your species has small legs, I forget. Come." The goat lifted Cutemon by the scruff of his pink neck and threw him onto his back. The feeling of coarse fur made him relax. It was just like.. no, no it wasn't. The rabbit tensed now, hiding his fear within the tall spikes. He was needed now, but that really did not mean much of anything.

He sat back, crossing his legs. "What am I here for," he asked softly, concealing the quaver with an attempt to suppress his childhood tic. The man chuckled again, causing his headphones to spark with static. Were all humans this strange?

"You're not going to ask who I am," inquired the human. Cutemon remained silent as they walked further down the monotonously terrifying hallways. The answer was toyed with for a few moments, twisted and tied like a ribbon. "Very well then. There is a resident here in need of help, a human child who had a little accident. I believe he hasn't gained a very good impression of us so far." His silky words were light, as though the opinion were a trivial matter. "Perhaps you can help change his mind."

Perhaps.

What a funny word.

Cutemon didn't reply aside from a flexing of small fingers, but it seemed the an understood anyway. "Excellent!" Well then relax for a moment. We will be there shortly. For today we don't need too much, just to clear his head. Little more could push it you see."

Oh yes, sadly he did see. His father warned him of healing larte, near fatal wounds all at once. No one was ever quite the same after that. It was a cursed warning that no warrior ever quite paid attention to. "Yes kyu," the Digimon replied obediently. "I understand." There really was no way to refuse anyway. He shrank into the goat's pitch-black coat, not from ear but shame. There was more shame in his miniscule form than he thought was imaginable. Tears, hot and nearly red, rose at his eyes. He held them back, refusing them, denying their existence.

_Don't cry, _he scolded himself. _Don't be weak and cry._

Dorulumon would be embarrassed with him if he did.

"What a strong heart you have," mused the man faintly, making Cutemon flinch. "You haven't broken down yet. The ruler of this castle must be terribly amused." There was no reply, merely a turning away. "We are going to have a fruitful relationship indeed."

The happiness of those words was not an opinion.

He looked up now and replied to the man's words. "I'd better not die then kyu." His eyes were not hopeful, merely expectant.

Scarlet eyes gleamed and a cool smile formed, a demonic expression of a winter storm. This was the man's real face, he thought and even though fear rose in his chest like a fire, he stared right back. He would be pet; but he would not run away. Then the words were light, calm. "Indeed little one," acknowledged the intruder as they stopped to face a door. "Indeed that is so."

The door they had stopped at was pristine white, shining against the harsh dark stone. It was not merely locked but deep blue chains wound themselves from hinge to where the handle should have been, almost comically so. The man sighed. "Truly, he leaves nothing to chance. Quaint." Inclining his head, he stepped to allow the Digimon to pass him. Goatmon shook his gruff head and the bell clanged there, chiming a single high sweet note. Cutemon shuddered, watching the sheen of light slowly shimer into what seemed to be white dust. A simple cell door remained, only to be pushed open with the telltale screech. The man entered, causing Cutemon to scurry after him.

In this cell, unlike his own, Cutemon observed one human child chained to the wall by his wrists and ankles. What had maybe once been fabric was unrecognizable, the few rags slipping on and covered in sticky red stains. He couldn't help but examine further, horrified fascination blooming on his face. He had never seen a human before today, only seen legends and glimpses of a war. They were not meant to look like this, like a patchwork quilt of wounds.

The human child opened a ragged mouth, stretching the cheeks grotesquely with a rasped imitation of speech. "You are... not that night," observed the voice. Cutemon started, unprepared for such a gentle voice to smile at him. "Who are you?" It hurt him to speak, clearly, the sinews stretching and twitching visibly in the redness of the neck. Cutemon trembled to act, instincts begging him to do _something. _ He waited for the man to speak, waiting for the signal.

The adult bowed at closed eyes. "I'm impressed that you can tell that without seeing." He was unperturbed in appearance but perhaps he could be rattled. Cutemon doubted this. Anyone who came and went here was dangerous, even this feeble thing on the wall. Cutemon wished the boy was not, however... _A human being chained to a wall isn't exactly safe._

There was a small cough. "I'm sorry to admit I have horrible eyes. It's rather vexing to rely on one sense, but sometimes cannot be helped." Cutemon squeaked despite himself. That had to be a lie, the eyelids were swollen. Any fool could see that. Already he could tell he had a patient who would not listen. Then he caught himself and blushed, looking down feebly. "Ah hello there," he was greeted, the voice quiet. "I was hoping you would speak up. Will you come up here? It's rather lonely by myself."

The simple words tugged his feet forward without volition, allowing him to reach the stone wall. Cutemon climbed the boy's leg shyly, flinching at every shift of the fragile body he climbed. Soon he found himself on top of the brown head, staring at the seemingly unknown ceiling. "Kyu..." He shuddered a bit, causing the place he rested to slant slightly in concern.

"He's frightened," sang the young man with a smile. "Unlike you. What compels you to your bravery?" Goatmon's bell chimed softly from the door, sounding like a laugh.

The boy's eyelids fluttered; the only remote change of expression. "It does no good to show fear," he murmured. "I'll just wear myself out... and who _knows _what will happen then?" Abruptly, the thin body sagged as if to prove his point. Then it went taut, practically leaping from the wall it was stuck too with a loud, painful cough. The fit continued, smacking the back harshly against the wall as spittle ran down his mouth. Cutemon clung for dear life as it passed before the boy groaned weakly. "My," the child rasped. "That was unpleasant. I feel a mess."

"Repulsive," sneered the man's companion from behind the door.

The child laughed. It was a musical noise, sweet and painfully earnest. "Dreadfully sorry," he crooned and at that moment, the world _ changed_. Cutemon could find no accurate thoughts to explain it. It was like the breath had left the air and filled it with poison. "I'll take greater care next time to not do... whatever it was I did." Cutemon let out another wordless squeak, watching the Goatmon's body still like a gargoyle. Slowly the grey eyes opened up, an odd, milky shade to peer around him. The eyes spotted the man and widened gradually.  
The tone changed at the vision in front of him, almost gleefully relieved. "It's been a while... Gabriel." I'm sad... I have to greet you like this."

In the dead air, a deep, ancient chuckle resounded with the ring of bass on armor. "Yes,"" was the amiable reply. "Quite a few years it's been. You have grown a lot from that little thing." Cutemon trembled as the man went on. "I hope you haven't grown too much for a story." Gabriel's hood fell fully back from his face, revealing shaggy black hair over dark skin. The strands of hair covered all but his eyes, leaving them to stare at the pink rabbit pointedly. The rabbit raised his paws nervously. He could not screw this up. Green light began to form, bubbling over the small nails and onto the burned skin of the neck.

"_Wound Heal!" _Despite the exclamation, he kept his voice soft. He was aware now more than he ever had been. This was the path, this was his way _out. _He would get a chance to find Dorulumon and possibly even his parents.

Maybe he would even take this kid along too. No one deserved to be under the foot of DarkKnightmon or even this other human.

However, that was for later.

Gabriel smiled at the pair of them. "Now then, before I tell you this story, a beautiful one it is though, I would like you to sing me a song. You are a caged bird and I've never had one long enough to hear their voices chirp."

The response was odd, fluttering feebly. "You are a horrible person."

Gabriel tutted. "Perhaps. But it will pass the time, no?"

* * *

"What have you done?"

Cutemon hit the wall and slid, bleeding from biting his tongue. "K-Kyu?" he whined weakly, opening his eyes. They had waited until the footsteps had faded, this desperate guy. The angel glared, as angry and scared as everyone else in his crowded cell. It took a lot to scare a Lucemon; they were called the Angels of Order for a _very _good reason. Then again, few of them survived an encounter with the ruler of this castle and remembered it. Most were mad.

"This wasn't about you kyu!" Cutemon managed to squeak after the ringing in his sensors had passed. He really had to watch out for projectiles after he healed someone.

"He could have _seen _me," whimpered the Digimon, eight wings trembling and fluttering him off the ground. "Because you went out there, he could have seen me! If he found me, if that guy found me..." Cutemon frowned mentally through the grumbles over his head. Which he? Who? Or perhaps it didn't matter, he thought as Lucemon jerked, hitting the floor as the shackle on his ankle reacted to his sudden bid at freedom. The angel whimpered in anger and Cutemon's heart clenched.

However, the little Digimon did not move. If he moved, he would die... and so would that boy. So he remained perfectly still, watching as Lucemon slid away from him into a small, cherubic ball of greyed feathers and skin. The creature began to weep, a wailing echo for the cell to hear. "I don't want to die... " he whimpered. "Please... please God... I didn't leave you... I didn't... I promise..."

"None of us want to brat," snarled a creature by Cutemon's feet. "So shaddup." The sobs quieted moments later but Cutemon didn't move to comfort them. He had something important to accomplish, many things.

None of them included soothing the fears of a fellow prisoner.


End file.
